What Is Pre & Post Millennialism About? Why Is It So Controversial?

The Christian church is steeped in debates and controversy about millennial beliefs. Some claim the entire Bible should be taken literally. Others are equally adamant about it being completely metaphorical and symbolic.

We have to keep in mind that the Bible consists of sixty-six books, written by an estimated forty different authors, spanned over a period of fifteen hundred years.

Clearly – some of it is to be taken literally, and some of it is to be taken figuratively. There is no point in arguing about the wide range of literary genres in the Bible. It is poetic above all else. That tells me there is intrinsic truth, descriptive use of language, and metaphor contained within the verses.

If we can admit the range of literary genres in the Bible, we are wiser than if we try to plug metaphorical verses into concrete literalism, or vice versa. How can anyone literally believe that a creature can look like a horse, have the face of a human, the hair of a woman, the teeth of a lion, and gold crowns on its head, with the tail of a scorpion?

What makes the Bible so controversial – is because of the way it is interpreted. Some of the interpretations lead to false teaching. Much of the false teaching is based on taking a single verse or two out of context. In fact, people can use many verses to scare, control, or deceive people. It is always best to go to the source, and read it for yourself. It is far less scary than one might think. In fact, it is enlightening and full of promise.

A significant amount of controversy stems from the false teaching on dispensationalism contained within an altered version of the Bible, written by John Darby in the 1800’s. Over time, this false doctrine gave rise to many Hollywood movies and books about the rapture, the left behind series etc.

The seven year tribulation period is a Darby invention, yet many Christians adhere to the storyline regardless. Once the rapture theology was spread throughout mainstream churches, it was much easier to sell people on a pre-tribulation rapture. When the coming tribulation is thought to be the worst the world has ever known, what molly-coddled modern day Christian would not opt for that belief system? The trouble is – it is simply not true.

There is no mention in the Bible about a specific seven year tribulation period, or a secret rapture of the church before the return of Christ. Therefore all the pre-trib, post-trib and mid-trip rapture theories are baseless. In fact the terminology surrounding these myths is quite confusing. We know it is not God who is the author of confusion.

Once we filter out all the rapture theology, we can more easily examine what pre-millennialism and post-millennialism actually means. Although the pre-millennial belief got tied to Darby’s dispensations, it was a foundational belief held by the early church, but in a much different way.

The dominant Christian interpretation of Revelation, since the early church, believed the millennial reign of Christ would be set up after his return. A percentage of Christians continue to believe this, based on their own interpretation of Revelation. There is no specific mention of the rapture of the church in the Bible. However, the Bible does say that the dead will rise first, and those who are remaining, and still alive – will be caught up in the air to meet Christ when he returns. But it is not called or referred to as a rapture.

A secret Darby style rapture also has the problem of explaining what happens to the group when Christ returns? Many of those who adhere to this belief think they will be returning with Christ to rule the world. Somehow I just don’t see that as being the least bit Biblical.

Of course people can believe what they want to believe. We would be wise though, to seek the truth. There are many warnings about being deceived. It is important to clear out the cobwebs of interconnected falsehoods. Most of us have absorbed a lot of fiction over the years. Sorting it out, is a part of due diligence.

The rapture belief invented by Darby, came from the descriptions of a fifteen year old Scottish girl who claimed she levitated during a seance. The origin of the rapture concept should have all Christians delving into the history, and motives of John Darby. In my opinion – Darby was downright evil. The changes he made to the original Bible are astronomical, and one day – he will be held accountable for deceiving so many people.

The difference between the early church beliefs about pre-millennialism, and the Darby version – is that the early church did not believe in a seven year tribulation, or a secret rapture. They believed that when Christ returns, he will set up a thousand year millennial reign on earth. This belief is based on covenant theology, and God’s promises – and has nothing to do with Darby’s myths that were invented less than two hundred years ago.

The post-millennial eschatology is also a fairly new interpretive system. This point of view claims that the tribulation as described in Revelation has already happened. They somehow believe the millennium reign of Christ happens before he returns, and many believe we are already in the millennial reign. The ideas surrounding this belief system describes a golden period of progress that goes on for a very long time. They do not want to adhere to the concept of a literal thousand year time frame on this.

Post-millennialism was especially popular prior to the first and second world wars. But after the second world war, many Christians could no longer support this concept.

There is a third position called A-millennialism, which means no millennium. They do not refute the chapters in Revelation that speak about a millennial reign when Christ returns. They simply claim it is purely symbolic.

After sorting out the Darby falsehoods, and going back to the beliefs established with the early churches, I think the only conclusion we can make, points back to the early church beliefs, which is referred to as classic pre-millennialism.

Spat out what the Darby/Scofield bibles say about it, and go back to the roots and message of the true church.

As far as post-millennialism is concerned, ask yourself these questions – Is the world really getting better and better? Are we heading into a period of peace and prosperity? Would you go out in the jungle and pet a lion, based on a description of the millennial period as described in Revelation?  Would you let your child play with a cobra? How can the millennial utopia be interpreted to be in process right now? How can there be peace and safety for all people, if Satan is still loose in the world? For these reasons – this concept makes no sense to me.

The other thing to notice about these two very different belief systems among Christians when it comes to Darby based pre-millennialism, or the opposite extreme of post-millennialism nirvana – is that they are polarized in their extremes.

The Darby side is full of fear-mongering gloom and doom, where all one can do is hope for the secret rapture, because the world will be so horrible, so full of evil that escape is the only hope. The post-millennial belief in stark contrast – is full of peace, prosperity, and beauty that gets better and better by the day. Why so polarized when the body of Christ is supposed to be unified?

Even though I have listened to, and read countless interpretations, often by Biblical scholars who are pitching their thirtieth book on the subject, much of it is questionable. No wonder it is controversial. They talk a good game, but much of it is implausible.

In my opinion, all this talk and controversy about the millennial positions are pointless. There is no way we can have long-term peace on earth, until Christ returns and Satan is bound. The sequence of events is spelled out for us.

The Bible is full of mystery and metaphor. Do not be fooled by interpretations that are not part of the original Bible. We cannot possibly know the full scope of God’s plan for the earth until Christ returns.

I believe the greatest risk is falling into deception and false teaching. There are over a hundred versions of the Bible in the English language alone. Many of those translations leave out key words, or they change key words. Those strategic changes, can alter the entire meaning of the scriptures.

We are steeped in a labyrinth of Biblical misinterpretations. It is very important to embrace the truth – in our lives, in our families, in politics, and in the interpretation of prophecy.

Not only is the Bible a combination of literal and figurative language, it is also both physical and spiritual. The end times do bring increasing levels of tribulation. There is a grand scale spiritual warfare at the centre of the conflict.

There is an attack on the minds, souls, and hearts of people. There is a great deal of deception to filter, in order to discern the truth. Knowledge is greatly increased, and when combined with deception, it can be catastrophic.

However, we are told to be of good cheer, to not be filled with fear, and most of all – to work and do good. Don’t be idle. No one knows when Christ will return. There is no way of counting days, or months or years to arrive at a date. We are not meant to know.

We can’t know it all, or even a portion of it right now, which is why we have faith. Some day, the world will be full of the knowledge of God.

Right now – not so much! But we do have hope, because we believe.

The description of the millennium is that of world peace, love, freedom, gardening, music, singing, joy, serving, worshipping, absence of fear, no sickness, no conflict.  People will have all they need, and each will dwell safely under his own vine. The animals will be friendly. The blind will see, the mute will shout, and the lame will leap like a deer!

Eventually, all conditions of the garden of eden will be restored to the earth.